It is often desired that installation, replacement, repairing, and/or other actions be performed in relation to tainter and other lock and dam-type gate assemblies and related components. In some circumstances, it is desired that such actions be performed even though it is not possible or not desirable (due to cost concerns, etc.) for the water typically present around such lock and dam-type gate assemblies to be diverted and drained away from those gate assemblies and related components. It is known that, in at least some such circumstances, the desired actions to be performed in relation to a gate assembly (or associated components) can be performed even though water is still present at or near the upstream end of the gate assembly, by providing a blocking structure or “bulkhead” (or bulkhead structure) at or near the upstream end of those gate assemblies. By providing such a bulkhead structure, even though the water is present at or near the upstream end of the gate assembly, the water is dammed up and prevented from flowing downstream of the bulkhead structure, and thus downstream portions or components of the gate assembly become dry and accessible so that the desired actions can be taken in relation to those downstream portions or components.
Notwithstanding the potential effectiveness of utilizing bulkhead systems in at least some such circumstances, conventional bulkhead systems are often cumbersome and/or difficult to implement, and/or costly to utilize. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved bulkhead system and/or method that could be developed that would facilitate the performing of installation, replacement, repairing, and/or other actions in relation to gate assemblies and/or associated components in manner(s) that were enhanced relative to conventional bulkhead systems in terms of ease of use or implementation, cost, and/or one or more other considerations.